Your 7-Step Plan for Curing Headaches and Migraines

Step 2: Track Your Pain

Pinpointing the triggers of a throbbing head isn't easy. That's why experts suggest keeping a pain journal for at least a month or two. Include the days and times your head hurts, but also jot down severity and how long the pain lasts, where you feel it, your stress level and any pain medications you are taking. And don't just note the major ones. "Every ache counts—even a mild one," says Audrey Halpern, M.D., director of Manhattan Headache and Neurology and clinical assistant professor of neurology at New York University School of Medicine. Share this diary with your doctor to help determine what factors are setting off your headaches or migraines.